Lady Jane Rochford
Lady Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford is the ill-fated wife (later widow) of George Boleyn, Lord of Rochford, in The Tudors. She is played by Joanne King in a recurring role in Seasons 2, 3 and 4. Lady Jane endures great unhappiness in Season 2 through her marriage to George Boleyn despite her support for the Reformation; she ultimately gains her revenge on her husband (and her sister-in-law, Queen Anne Boleyn) and in Season 3 forms a friendship with the new Queen Jane Seymour. Her service to Queen Katherine Howard, however, causes trouble. Jane attempts to bring misfortune on Katherine by manipulating her into adultery, but is herself caught in the storm for enabling the affair; she is arrested and tortured to the point that she suffers a nervous breakdown and is declared legally insane. Despite this, Henry pushes a bill through Parliament making her execution legal, and Jane Rochford is decapitated moments before Katherine Howard. Season Two Jane first appeared in episode 2.06 as the arranged bride of George Boleyn; she is clearly reluctant to marry him and frightened, but her father forces her down the aisle. She at first seems uncertain of what to make of George (unaware of his previous libertine lifestyle) although he is relatively friendly towards her at the reception. However, her opinion changes sharply when George holds her down and quickly rapes her on their wedding night , then collapses on his bed, drunk. In spite of her fear and anger towards him, Jane initially tries to make the relationship work. However, she is quick to notice George's frequent absence due to his many affairs, and observes him talking discreetly with the (closeted) court musician Mark Smeaton. She confronts George about his various infidelities in episode 2.08 and is horrified when he doesn't bother to deny his affairs both with other women and with Smeaton; although she is a supporter of the Reformation, Jane firmly believes homosexuality is still a cardinal sin. She attempts to plead for help from George's sister, Queen Anne Boleyn (whose relationship with King Henry is also strained), but Anne, while not acting cruelly, gives her little sympathy and refuses to acknowledge George's unpleasant character, earning her Jane's anger. In episode 2.09, Jane Rochford is one of the handmaidens Thomas Cromwell interviews about Anne's supposed acts of incest and adultery. Despite knowing the accusations of incest are rediculous, Jane is convinced of Anne's adultery due to her flirtatious attitude. She unhesitatingly says yes, that she believes George and Anne did commit incest, finally getting revenge on George for tormenting her. Cromwell looks at her in astonishment before he sees the knowing smile on her face; he returns it with one of his own. In spite of her condemnation of George, Jane falls from favor after her husband and sister-in-law are beheaded, and she is shunned by many of the court. Season Three Jane is taken as a Lady-in waiting by Anne's successor, Queen Jane Seymour. The Queen kindly acknowledges that Jane did not bear responsibility for George's actions (though not specifying if these 'actions' were the accusations of incest- which were false- or his cruelty to his wife) and asks her to be her principal Lady, treating her with gentleness. Despite the Queen's devout Catholicism, Jane happily accepts and becomes . She acts as Queen Jane's main confidant, informing her of Henry's affairs at court (which Jane wisely chooses to ignore) and carrying out minor tasks for her, such as providing money for Henry's disfavored young daughter Elizabeth (whom Jane Rochford bears no grudge against despite her anger towards Elizabeth's mother). However, she is heartbroken when Queen Jane dies shortly after giving birth in episode 3.04. Season Four Jane Rochford is made lady-in-waiting to the King's fifth Queen, Katherine Howard, in Season Four. Though she carefully hides it, Jane takes an instant dislike to Katherine Howard for her immaturity, flirtatious nature and stupidity. Jane begins a sexual relationship with the King's arrogant groom, Thomas Culpepper, and suggests to him that she can arrange for him to have sex with the Queen (knowing Thomas has long desired Katherine Howard, and hoping to somehow disgrace or corrupt Katherine further) Unfortunately, when this affair is discovered in episode 4.05, Jane is caught up in the storm when Culpepper blames her for bringing him and Katherine together; she is arrested and tortured on the rack, and suffers a nervous breakdown to the point that she is declared legally insane and placed in the Tower of London. Henry's vengeance is wide-ranging, and he pushes a bill through Parliament making it legal to behead insane people; the broken-down Jane is quickly sentenced to death. She is brought to the same scaffold as Katherine Howard, and hysterically puts herself on the slab first. Jane is quickly beheaded, and Katherine moments later.